Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 12 (ANI): The proposed widening of Shimla's Circular Road will lead to the displacement of people and structures at some locations where land is required for expansion, Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh said on Saturday, adding that affected people would be compensated under the prescribed land acquisition policy.
Speaking to ANI, Singh said the widening of the Circular Road had become necessary as Shimla's existing infrastructure was not designed to handle the city's present population as well as the substantial floating population comprising tourists and daily commuters.
"Shimla city was built during the British period, and its carrying capacity is not enough for the population that exists in the state capital today," Singh said.
He said that while Shimla's official population was around 2-2.5 lakh, the number of people present in the city at any given time rises to around 4.5-5 lakh when tourists and the floating population are taken into account.
"At any given point of time, around 4.5 to 5 lakh people are commuting, staying or moving around Shimla," the minister said.
Singh said the Circular Road, which serves as a key road connecting different parts of the state capital, needed to be widened to accommodate the increasing traffic burden.
He said the government had been working on the proposal for some time and had conducted inspections at several stretches, including Victory Tunnel, Secretariat, IGMC and Sanjauli.
"The entire process has now been completed and the land acquisition process has started," Singh said.
Acknowledging that the project would result in displacement at certain locations, the minister said land and structures falling within the area required for road widening would have to be acquired.
"There may be some displacement at certain places and land acquisition will be undertaken," Singh said.
He, however, assured that the government would follow the applicable land acquisition policy and provide compensation to those affected.
"Compensation will be provided under the proper land acquisition policy. The applicable circle rate will be considered, and compensation will be provided to the affected people," he said.
The minister said the road-widening exercise was aimed at addressing Shimla's long-term traffic and connectivity problems rather than merely responding to the current congestion.
Two tunnels proposed to ease traffic pressure: Singh also said the state government had proposed two tunnels as part of efforts to improve internal connectivity and reduce traffic pressure on Shimla's existing road network.
He said approval had been given for the first phase of a proposed tunnel connecting Talland directly with IGMC.
"The effort is to connect Talland directly with IGMC so that there is better internal connectivity and people do not have to travel through the main Shimla routes," he said.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed tunnel is currently under preparation, Singh said, adding that the project would provide an important alternative route for commuters and help ease traffic congestion in the state capital.
He said the government's approach was to combine road widening with alternative tunnel connectivity so that Shimla could cope with its growing population, tourist inflow and increasing traffic pressure. (ANI)
Shimla Circular Road widening project to entail some displacement; compensation assured: Minister Vikramaditya Singh
